The Brisbane Broncos have named a new halves pairing for this weekend’s crucial derby against the Dolphins, after injury chaos hit the club last weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Broncos lost halfback Adam Reynolds and five-eighth Ezra Mam on the same play during the club’s 22-2 loss away to the Melbourne Storm last Thursday.<\/p>\n
Both men were chasing Storm winger Xavier Coates when they pulled up with hamstring injuries and limped off the field.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ben Hunt and Billy Walters will suit up in the halves for the Broncos this Saturday against the Dolphins, as the club attempts to reset and push for the finals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunt has played the majority of his 348 NRL matches in the halves, including the first 10 rounds of this season. Hunt was Brisbane’s halfback in their 2015 grand final defeat to the North Queensland Cowboys.<\/p>\n
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Ben Hunt (pictured) will partner Billy Walters in the halves for the Brisbane Broncos against the Dolphins. (AAP: Joel Carrett)<\/p>\n
Despite spending most of his career at Brisbane as a hooker, Walters \u2014 the son of former coach Kevin Walters \u2014 has experience in the halves for both the Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers.<\/p>\n
Walters and Hunt have been Maguire’s first and second choice number nine. Their move to the halves has opened the door for Cory Paix to be named the starting hooker.<\/p>\n
The Broncos are sixth on the NRL ladder, but are only one win better off than the Sydney Roosters, who sit ninth.<\/p>\n
Brisbane could end next weekend as high as fifth on the NRL ladder with a win over the eighth-placed Dolphins. But a loss on Saturday, and other results going against them, could drop the Broncos down to ninth with three matches remaining before the finals.\u00a0<\/p>\n